Colitis is understood to be the inflammation of the colon. A chronic type of colitis is ulcerative colitis of an unknown etiology characterized by ulceration of the colon and rectum, with rectal bleeding, mucosal crypt abscesses, inflammatory pseudopolyps, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Ulcerative colitis frequently causes anemia, hypoproteinemia, and electrolyte imbalance and is less frequently complicated by peritonitis, toxic megacolon or carcinoma of the colon.
Ulcerative colitis is frequently treated with various drugs including sulfasalazine. While these treatments are somewhat effective in treating the symptoms, there is a continuing need for additional treatments for this disease, perhaps a treatment which could be used to enhance the efficacy of the existing treatments.